


Firsts

by themightyaceofspades



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, New Years, New York City, Post-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), celebration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:34:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28186212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themightyaceofspades/pseuds/themightyaceofspades
Summary: [Originally written on December 31, 2019]Firsts are a chance to fabricate splendid memories into existence. Since it is the holiday season, Gavin wastes no time to share a few special moments with his partner, who might turn out to be his lover by the end of the night.
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor, Tina Chen & Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Kudos: 26





	Firsts

**Author's Note:**

> Non-canonical timeline.

A never-ending sea of people stretched for seemingly miles; numerous foggy white breaths curled out from pursed or wide open lips like little wisps, floating their way upwards and back into the frigid, yet cozy, atmosphere; people constantly bumped into each other, muttering soft apologies as they carried on with what they were previously engaged in; and many stood rigid and tall, like soldiers ready to to start their march, constricting their appendages as close as they could to their own bodies to prevent the awkwardness of the latter scenario. Albeit there were quite possibly thousands all huddled up within that relatively small area, there was no chaos, no fighting, no animosity; there was just slowly drifting snow, that swayed with the gentle push and pull of the light breezes, red, gleeful, rosy cheeks, and an unmissable buzz of unmatched, inextinguishable excitement. Performers sung and spun upon elaborately decorated pedestals for all to see, their each and every moment broadcasted out for the entire world to witness their dazzling talent; the hosts of the spectacle's mindless chatter and announcements that beamed with anticipation filled the empty spaces between performances; and couples within the crowd held hands and gently swayed to both internalized and outwardly projected tunes, their shoulders bumping and bashful giggles erupting from those smiling little mouths. To Nines, the experience was indescribable, however, he was still progressing through his first year of life and had absolutely no foundation to compare nor contrast the large event to; technically, it was his very first winter, his first time out of Michigan, _his first time seamlessly blending in with the jabbering humans_. But wasn't that what the holiday season was about? Firsts: Those magical, wondrous times in which one can truly draw in each and every detail without flaw and fully immerse oneself in the beauty of it all? 

The android's asshole of a partner, who surprisingly had been the one to coordinate the lengthy trip to the notorious city, was directly at his side, glancing occasionally at the other and quickly looking away to snicker once caught staring. What could he say? There was just something about his partner that made his awe-struck expressions amusing, but also precious, something to hold onto forever as a crystal clear, burned imprint of a memory in one's mind. Perhaps it was the timing or the context of the entire situation. However, there was something more, something specific to the android that made his newfound ability to emote sincerely all the more priceless. Back in Detroit, the broad shouldered, grey-eyed, giant of a being had been quiet, observing the happenings around him with little to no verbal input on his behalf, stoic, revealing nothing upon his sharp, angular face, and seemingly lifeless, just a husk of a being who was fully capable of not only mimicking, but _experiencing_ what it was like to be completely _alive_. No, Nines hadn't deviated, but it was obvious to his partner that he was nearing that status of freedom, his feet just dangling over the edge, his fingertips just grazing the surface of his very own copper plated Lady Liberty. He was so, _so_ close, yet so, so far from that blissful, and painful, state. It almost pained the human to watch him, to see just how unknowingly close he was to his very own deliverance and to be unable to do anything to nudge him any farther; earning his salvation was something that was entirely up to him, an internal feat he had accomplish on his own terms, a mental hurdle that only he could see. 

"Gavin." The human beamed at the informal beckoning, turning his head to his right and angling it up slightly. "Why do you keep doing that?" 

Now, it was Gavin's turn to act confused, however, his demeanor was feigned. He raised a brow as he asked, "Doing what?", but his traitorous lips that held the tiniest hint of a smug grin were enough to mark his expression as a false display. 

"Looking at me and then quickly looking away when my gaze catches yours," Nines explained. Although not obviously present, the trained eyes of his partner were able to detect little faint traces of an expression on his face: the slight tightness to his neutrally curved lips, brief thoughtful twinkling in his icy cobalt eyes, and nearly unnoticeable furrowing of his dark brows.

Gavin's gaze was quick to dart away, finding refuge at a blank window of a window-laden office building not too far in the distance, as he contemplated how to explain himself. Before he uttered a single word, he swallowed the anxious lump that had risen into the back of his throat and forced his speckled green eyes to reconnect with the other’s. "Er… I'm just checking to make sure you're enjoying everything. Your expressions aren't always the easiest to read." His hand, of which had been fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve, soon found the nape of his neck and begun rubbing the area there, the inside of his palm sometimes brushing against his short, almost spikey feeling, hair. "This whole thing is for you, after all." 

The dramatic raise of Nines' brows at his last sentiment had been the clearest reaction he had displayed upon his face the entire night and perhaps within his entire existence. However, the expression lasted a few seconds at most before his face readopted its usual blankness. "Why look away then? There's no shame nor ill intention within that reasoning." 

Gavin exhaled a breath he hadn't even known he had been holding, thankful that he hadn't questioned nor commented on his last sentiment. He didn’t exactly harbor the reputation of a considerate, _decent_ human being and he’d be damned if he was going to actually make an effort to change that; everyone, no matter how much of a dick it made them, was entitled to their own coping mechanisms for past struggles, right? "Well, humans generally perceive it as rude to stare no matter what the original intent is. Looking away once caught in the act doesn't really help much," he shrugged, "but, hey, it makes up for the action at least a tiny bit." 

Nines nodded, probably adding that to his database of collected knowledge on the human species as he did so. "I do have to say that I am finding this excursion rather interesting." He paused a moment before adding, "I’ve noticed that there are many aspects of this city that remind me of Detroit, but it's still vastly different. The atmosphere here differs too, it’s almost more loving and familial-like in a way unlike the crushing tension and sorrow back at home." 

"Glad you're having fun analyzing everything, Tin Can." There was an obvious note of snarky sarcasm within his tone, the sly smirk that shaped his lips only furthering the statement’s true nature. 

"My apologies, I don't mean to sound as if I'd rather be doing work than enjoying this trip," Nines replied, his own gaze shying away from his partner's for a moment. "Old habits die hard, I guess." The small shrug paired with the coy manner in which he was fiddling with the sleeves of his sweater, an article that Connor had gifted him, was more than enough to make Gavin aware of his tonal mistake. 

Gavin's lips dipped down slightly into a frown of sorts. He hadn't meant his remark to invoke a sense of shame, perhaps embarrassment, in the other for his mindless actions; it wasn’t his fault for being purposed to examine and cross-examine every detail that came into light, no matter its level of significance or insignificance. "Dipshit, you weren't meant to take what I said like that. It was supposed to be harmless. Now, you're making me feel bad, stop it." 

The deep rumble of a chuckle that followed his response was well worth the brief humiliation of sounding childishly whiny during the latter sentence. "Alright. I certainly don't want to upset the child, now do I?" 

Gavin pursed his lips, gradually moving his arms to loosely cross them over his chest as a playful glint darkened his irises. "Who you calling a child, plastic?" 

The human half-expected Nines to take his retort literally, but the fact that he reciprocated his smug attitude came to him as a pleasant surprise. "Who are _you_ calling 'plastic', child?" There was no doubt in Gavin’s mind that he was helplessly crushing on the other like a giddy schoolgirl, but the way in which the android’s raised brow and wide grin caught him painfully off guard, thrusting his mind even further beneath his internal ocean of obsession and infatuation, came as a genuine surprise; he was absolutely _weak_ for that expressive, _human_ , side of him. "I'm only partially composed of a selectively picked group of plastics, polybenzimidazole the primary one, not entirely. The other materials used to manufacture me include electrical wiring, various metals ranging in flexibility and structural integr—" 

"Shut the fuck up. You're going to give yourself away," Gavin shushed him, looking to a fro to ensure that no one had overheard. As a precaution to minimize the chance of Nines having a huge target looming over his head, the human had forced his partner to ditch his favored CyberLife issued jacket for the night, which had not come without protest, and had his close friend, Officer Tina Chen, instruct him on how to properly apply the concealer she had leant them in order to adequately hide his LED, which had been done over a video call before the duo headed out. Yes, technically androids were nationally recognized as living beings and possessed the rights guaranteed to all citizens, but the other cities, besides Detroit, within the country were still slow to implement those rules in full. They didn’t want to take any chances. 

"Plus, if I wanted to know what the hell they used to make you, I would've explicitly asked, dumbass," Gavin continued with a shrug, rolling his eyes as he straightened his slouched posture. "What time is it?" 

Nines sporadically blinked a few times, his eyes staring out seeming nowhere before turning his head to face his partner; if his LED were visible, Gavin guessed it would’ve flickered yellow a moment before spinning back into its content blue hue. "Twenty-three hundred fifteen hours." 

"In A.M.-P.M. time?" Gavin demanded, pressing his lips tightly together afterwards. 

"Eleven fifteen P.M.," Nines replied. "Why do you keep asking me this?" 

Gavin sighed, pinching his nose with his index finger and thumb and brows raised in a look that screamed How dumb are you?. "Didn't I explain what today was to you when we arrived last night?" 

Nines paused to scan his stored memory, but ended up finding no documented recollection of said encounter. "No." 

"Huh." The human stared outwards in silent contemplation for a few moments before proceeding. "Today is December thirty-first, the day before the official changing over into the next year. Most people refer to today as 'New Year's Eve'. That's the whole reason we're here in New York and not still in Detroit, attending some dumb, shitty work party, dipshit." 

Nines' head tilted to the side in the slightest, causing Gavin's heartrate to spike momentarily. The human’s mind inwardly groaned, _Damn CyberLife. Damn Elijah fucking Kamski. Who’s idea was it to make him so fucking attractive?! I swear I’ll kill them!_ "Why does it matter where we are?" 

"New York City, The Big Apple, The Capital of the World—whatever you call it, this is the place to be for New Year's. Thousands have flocked here for _decades_ to experience the elaborate celebration and count down to the moment when that ball," with his index finger, he pointed to the large, colorful, holographic sphere that was suspended in the air, "falls. Don't ask me why its such a big part of the celebration because it beats me, but just know that it's tradition therefore, making it special." 

Nines nodded in silent acknowledgment, his brows furrowing and lips pressing themselves into a tight line as his eyes fixated themselves elsewhere. 

"Did you get all of that?" Gavin inquired, taking a step to the side to make sure he was within the android's line of sight. 

Nines’ gaze fell. "It's just... a lot to process. Humans are so fragile yet so complicatedly confusing; your concepts are hard for logical thinkers like myself to grapple and understand," he admitted, resting his chin upon his hand. His brows remained furrowed, the narrowing of his eyes accompanying that shortly. 

"Us humans are confusing, interesting creatures, that's for sure," Gavin agreed with a vigorous nod, his eyes widening for a second as he mulled over the weird shit that humans had created over the years before returning to their natural state. "But look, if it's too much for you, that's alright. You don't _have_ to understand everything in order to enjoy it; you just have to simply sit back and let it be. Trust me, spending all your time focusing on the rationality behind human traditions will get you absolutely nowhere." He shrugged. "We're just illogical beings that somehow thrive on irrationality." 

"When did Detective Reed turn all smart and philosophical?” Nines quipped before sighing, “Alright, I'll try not to let myself ponder the mysteries of the human race tonight." Then, a small smile paired with a sparkling in his eyes brightened the storminess to his perturbed expression. "I'll save it for another time, perhaps tomorrow." 

Although cliché in essence, Gavin felt what he could only describe as a swarm of butterflies begin to flutter within the pit of his stomach, resulting in him taking a few seconds to scold himself and regain his composure. He needed to stop getting flustered over the little things Nines did if he were to last the rest of the night. "Promise?" he asked, cocking a brow. 

"I promise," Nines assured, the softest smile Gavin had ever seen quirking up his lips, a smile so warm and genuine that it was highly plausible that, if given enough time, it could reduce the human to a puddle of melted mush. 

A blush crawled up Gavin's neck once he realized he was staring, absolutely _captivated_ by just that simple expression, however, Nines didn't seem to mind, to his relief. "Good. Time?" 

"Twenty-three hund—" Nines halted once he noticed the other begin to tap his foot expectantly and let out a mock yawn. "Eleven twenty-three." 

"You're learning. Good, Tin Can," Gavin leered, the corner of his lips drawn up into a grin as he reached up to pat him on the top of his head. 

Nines’ head tilted to the side, his index finger resting upon his chin. "If you're so worried about me being exposed for my species then, why are you addressing me by android-specific derogatory terms?" Gavin’s heart fluttered yet again at his simple, unconscious, actions, but he was quick to clench his fists and mutter what was presumably profanities beneath his breath. 

"Because I fucking can," Gavin seethed, taking a minute to concentrate on slowing his rapid breathing. 

Nines shrugged, bobbing his head from side to side. "Fair enough." 

" _Sooooo_ , you never did tell me what time the ball falls from the sky," Nines stated, tugging at the cuffs of his sleeves as he attempted to switch the subject. 

"Midnight," Gavin answered. The shortness to his reply sent a pang—of pain? shame? disappointment?—through the other’s chest. Nines dismissed the sensation, falling silent to allow the human to collect his bearings. 

The two remained side by side, Gavin occasionally mumbling incoherent things to himself while Nines quietly shifted his feet, letting his eyes wander and fully take in the attention-grabbing, flashy scenery around him. _Were all human celebrations so bright and disruptive?_ Due of his lack of experience, he couldn't settle on a definite answer; that notion irked him, but he was quick to brush the feeling away and bring his attention to the current performer. 

"Gavin, it's quarter to midnight," Nines eventually spoke up, his voice low in the slim chance that Gavin wouldn't hear him if he was still worked up about whatever was bothering him. 

Gavin let out a long sigh before looking up to gaze into those oddly timid grey eyes of his. "Sorry for my behavior. I've just been thinking about some things... It's not your fault." That statement was true. During the period of awkward silence between the two partners, his own common sense had violently tussled with his unhealthy, and probably unrequited, infatuation with the android; he knew for a fact that Nines was not a deviant, which drastically narrowed the possibility of him sharing any sort of romantic feelings. He couldn’t believe he had allowed himself to be so helplessly lovestruck—how _head over_ fucking _heels he was_ —with someone who was incapable of experiencing love. 

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Nines asked. Albeit his smile was forced, the human still appreciated his attempt at sincerity. 

"Not really, but thanks for the offer," Gavin replied, gaze landing anywhere but on Nines. 

"So, what should I expect for this celebration?" 

"Now, that has to remain a surprise. I will tell you this though: There will be loud noises involved. Oh, and make sure to start counting down when the counter gets to ten seconds and shout ‘Happy New Year’ once it gets to zero." 

"That should be alright. I toned down the sensitivity for my auditory processors when we first arrived. And understood." 

"You're actually bothered by noise?" 

"Minimally, yes. But isn't everybody?" 

"Well, kinda, I guess." 

Eventually, the last performer, a young, pretty, perky thing donned in skimpy sequins, an outfit that was most certainly not weather-appropriate, that possessed the alluring ability to sing which such flowing, beautiful eloquence that it moved the majority of the crowd to tears, walked off the lit up stage with her dangerously high heels clacking against the hard, smooth surface, waving and blowing flirtatious kisses to the chorus of cheers that followed her act. Nines was still new to the whole concept of music and concerts and that of the like so, he was rather uncertain of what he was supposed to do or what was expected of the artists, but he didn't voice his concerns and instead, clapped his hands along with the rest of the audience. 

"What a lovely performance! Now, let's get to the part that you've all been waiting for: the countdown!" a man's voice rung throughout the area as a temperate breeze swept through Times Square. "Oooh. It seems that things are finally beginning to cool down here; the weather boy might’ve been right this time." 

"The forecast doesn't seem to have deterred the crowd though. Just look at all those smiling faces who have come out in the snow to join us in this celebration!" a woman's voice replied. 

"We have three minutes until the start of the new year. Who's excited?" An uproar of delighted screams erupted from the crowd. "Start the clock." Promptly, a digital clock flashed upon all of the floating screens and began to count down by the second. 

The wind continued to pick up as the number displayed on the screen climbed downwards, prompting Gavin to lean closer to his partner, who was utterly unfazed by the chill, until his back was pressed flush against him. Initially, Nines was startled by the action, but he was quick to notice the human's shivering; promptly, he wrapped his arms around the cold being, holding him close to himself as he manually increased his own temperature for the human's sake. 

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Gavin hissed, tilting his head upwards to scowl defensively at Nines. 

"Warming you up. You seemed cold. Do you wish me to let go of you?" Nines explained, a brow raising. 

"No," Gavin huffed, pissed at himself for enjoying the other's touch to the high degree in which he did. 

In no time, the clock had only fifty seconds left, which caused many members of the crowd to squeal in happiness. Gavin's gaze flickered up to the countdown before he turned himself to face Nines, tentatively resting his head against his chest. Nines' only response was a bright, almost reassuring, smile that couldn't have been faked even if he had tried. 

**00:40**

_Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick._

**00:30**

As the seconds flew by, Gavin squirmed, his heart practically in his throat. 

**00:20**

Gavin took in a few, long breaths to help coax his heartrate to return to its normal resting pulse, but his efforts came to no avail. 

**00:15**

Gavin was practically shaking at that point, internally debating whether or not to go through with his premeditated plan. 

**00:10**

"Ten!" the crowd chanted as the ball began its gradual descent, Gavin and Nines' voices amongst those. "Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five!" Gavin's voice cut out as he braced himself for what he was about to do, but Nines didn't seem to notice. "Four! Three! Two! One!" 

_Fuck it. You only live once, right?_

"Happy New Ye—" Gavin abruptly cut Nines off as the holographic ball exploded into a colorful display of virtual fireworks, rising onto the tips of his toes to roughly, yet somehow softly, press his chapped lips against the other’s. In that moment, as party poppers went off and shimmering confetti was shot up into the sky, actual fireworks cracking and fizzling soon after, time seemed to freeze. As Nines leaned into the kiss, allowing his hand to caress the other's stubble-ridden cheek, he saw the angry red walls that confined him, held him captive within his own programming, slowly begin to crumble, digital debris drifting down like snow and fading out of existence once upon the ground. The sudden rush of overpowering emotions—bubbly joy, heartwarming ease, and comfort: love?—that followed was startling, but the android didn't let his surprise make him jerk away from his partner. Of course, he had felt little hints of emotion before, but the small whispers of strength that they possessed was nothing compared to the compelling force of those of a deviant. 

Gavin was the first to pull away, lowering himself back onto flat feet. However, his window of opportunity to regain his breath was cut short by a certain someone who eagerly recaptured his lips, needing to feel that excitable buzz, childish giddiness, and inner tranquility within his being once more in order to confirm its realness. Once they drew away from each other again, Nines rested his forehead against Gavin's, the biggest smile he had ever let cross his face enlivening him. It didn’t take long for the human to understand what had happened: Nines had deviated, embraced the humanity that had been residing within him all along, and it had all been thanks to that sweet, hasty yet tender, kiss. Then, the human's face fell once he noticed actual tears start to fall down the android's face; that was a first and concerningly so. 

"Nines? What's wrong?" Gavin shouted against the clamber of the crowd and the booming of the stunning fireworks display. However, he was quick to realize that Nines’ auditory processors were too preoccupied with the noises around them and his mind too captivated by the explosions in the dark night sky to pick up on his voice. The crowded area in which they were in was not exactly the best place to have a serious discussion as well. After expending a few moments to think, he took the other’s hand into his own and led him out of there, weaving his way through the dense crowd to the best of his ability. 

Eventually, the two managed to escape the suffocatingly large group of people all roaring to probably head to some party to get even drunker. Gavin continued to lead him away from the bulk of the crowd and to a small, local park that happened to be only a few minutes walk away. Once the detective found an adequate bench to sit at, he crouched before Nines after he took a seat, holding both of his hands in his own. 

"Nines. What's wrong? C'mon, talk to me," Gavin asked, brows knitted together and a small frown on his face. Although the beautiful chaos from Times Square was still audible, there was no way Nines wouldn’t be able to hear him.

Instead of supplying a verbal reply, Nines brought Gavin in for a firm, but not bone-crushingly tight, hug, holding him close as more tears continued to cascade down his face, those tears of which were paired with the raggedness to his simulated breaths. 

Gavin, in turn, wrapped his own arms around him, rubbing tiny circles into the small of his back with his thumb and stroking his surprisingly soft, despite being gelled, hair with the palm of his other hand. "Nines? Why are you crying?" 

Truth be told, Nines wasn't saddened or even experiencing any negative emotion. His joy had just swelled and swelled inside his chest to the point where it needed an outlet and began to overflow in the form of synthetic tears, unable to keep that blissful feeling harbored inside any longer. "I'm so... happy," he sobbed out, his face buried into the other’s shoulder. 

Gavin let out a sigh of relief at that. Then, he started to chuckle at the hilarity of the situation: He couldn't believe that stone-cold Nines was full on sobbing like a heartbroken teenaged girl in his arms. "You're such a dork, Nines," he teased, ruffling his hair. 

"Guilty as charged," Nines giggled into Gavin's chest. He fucking _giggled_. Who the hell had taken Gavin's Nines and replaced him with that bubbly android? 

"Did you—?" 

"Yes," Nines said before Gavin could finish his query. He couldn’t help but find his new classifier of “deviant“ strange, something that didn’t quite easily roll off the tongue, however, he knew that with time, he’d learn to embrace his new status with open arms just like how Connor had. 

Eventually, Gavin wiggled out from beneath Nines' hold and placed his hand along the curvature of his tear-stained cheek, an action that the other leaned into. With his thumb, he gently wiped away the lingering tears, a few of his own pricking his eyes. "Let's get you back to the hotel, you fucking mess. Shall we?" 

Nines nodded, a one-of-a-kind, radiant, _luminous_ smile setting his face aglow, a smile that only the other would ever have the pleasure of receiving. With that, the two rose to their feet and embarked upon their peaceful walk back to their hotel, hand in hand. 

What an interesting way to start the new year. 

  


* * *

  


** BONUS **

“Did you enjoy your first New Year’s?” Gavin asked, his head resting upon the crook of the other’s arm and thumb brushing over said other’s knuckles. 

“Yes, I did,” came the warm, rich toned reply of Nines. “Thank you for this. I sincerely mean it.” 

Gavin playfully poked his chest. “Hey, don’t get all sappy with me.” 

“Alright, alright, I won’t,” Nines chuckled, tilting his head to rest it lightly atop Gavin’s. “I do have one question.” 

“Fire away,” Gavin replied. Before Nines could give his response, he interjected, “That’s a figure of speech. Don’t take it literally, dipshit.” 

A small smile placated Nines’ demeanor as he fiddled with the cuff of his CyberLife jacket, of which he had insisted upon putting back on immediately once they arrived to their room. “Why did you decide to kiss me? Don’t try to say it was an act of tradition because that’s obviously not the only motive.” 

“Fuck you,” Gavin muttered, shooting a feigned glare his way. “Well, I’ve kind of liked you for a while; y’know, in a more-than-friends kind of way. So, I just took the opportunity and ran with it.” He hated how stupid he sounded amidst his anxiousness. _”More-than-friends kind of way”? Really, Gavin? What are you, ten?_ he scolded. 

“I’ve been experiencing... _queer_ sensations around you too, but I just opted to try my best to ignore them. Is that what that warm feeling when someone specific is around is called? Liking someone in more than a platonic or familial way?” Nines admitted, a brow raised slightly. 

“Yup,” Gavin nodded. He paused a minute before asking, his voice a meek, timid thing, “So, what are we?” 

“Whatever you want us to be.” 

“Partners? Romantic partners, I mean?” Gavin stumbled over his words whilst rubbing the bridge of his nose, directly where his most prominent scar was located. 

“I would very much like that,” Nines beamed, pressing a quick kiss to the other’s temple to further his acceptance of that title. 

“Then, that’s what we’ll be,” Gavin smiled in return, snuggling up closer to the other. 

**GAVIN**

*   
**LOVER**   


Nines allowed the human to fall into a peaceful slumber while lying against him, a smile, that warm, cozy smile that he reserved for Gavin and Gavin alone, illuminating his usually stoic façade. Cuddling up close with his partner—his _romantic partner_ —after a long night was something he had no problem with getting used to; in actuality, he looked forward to more tranquil nights where the two could just contently linger in silence, soaking up the blissful comfort of being loved. 

**  
BONUS 2  
**

As soon as the duo entered the precinct, a chorus of flirty wolf-whistles erupted from their coworkers, who were all gathered standing in a cluster. Nines and Gavin exchanged a glance, brows raised, eyes widened. 

Promptly, Gavin walked over to his desk, setting his belongings haphazardly onto the smooth surface. “Anyone care to explain what the fuck is going on here?” 

Nines remained silent, his LED emitting a soft blue in spite of his confusion. 

“You two are in _lo-ove_!” Tina sung, cackling wildly at herself afterwards. 

An angered and embarrassed red hue rose to Gavin’s face directly after her proclamation, a scowl twisting his face. “What the hell are you talking about, dipshit?!” 

Tina shoved Connor forwards. “Your turn!” In turn, Connor nudged Hank who then let out a long, exasperated sigh. 

“Connor, here, spotted you two at Times Square,” Hank explained, Tina wiggling her eyebrows at the two before returning to suffocating in her bout of hysteria. 

“How the hell?” Gavin grumbled, more inwardly than outwardly. 

Connor, in fear of being pummeled by Nines, who wore a dangerously devoid expression, raised his hands up innocently. “I was just doing what I was designed to do.” 

“He found you two in the crowd from the television broadcast. All he had to do was spot either of your faces to figure out your identities,” Tina chipped in with a smug look that Gavin couldn’t help but be tempted to slap off. 

The detective shrugged. “So? We were just in the crowd. How does that make us lovers?” He glanced quickly at Nines over his shoulder only to find his LED blinking yellow. When his gaze found Connor, he noticed the same exact thing. _Great, they’re having some sort of secret conversation._

“You two were _kiss-ing_!” Tina exclaimed, her voice regaining that annoying sing-song quality to it. 

The blonde woman beside her was the next to give her two cents. “Gavin and Nines sittin’ in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Fir—“ 

As the blonde begun chanting that nostalgic tune, Nines strode up to a visibly fuming Gavin, momentarily pausing to look over at the small group as his hand rested upon the human’s chest. “You mean, like this?” Swiftly, that sly motherfucker connected their lips, earning an uproar of giggles, applause, and childish coos. He took his time with drawing away, his eyes half-lidded, the smallest hint of a smirk evident upon his otherwise blank face. 

His hands balled into tightly clenched fists, Gavin shook with a humiliated fury. He threw a powerful punch Nines’ way, but the android caught it with his hand, courtesy of his superhuman reflexes, his smirk never fleeting. He was enjoying the response of his partner far too much for the other’s liking. 

Then, Nines headed towards his very own desk, taking a seat upon his swivel chair. “And Tina, perhaps we do love each other, but is there anything wrong with that?” He paused to let his gaze sweep over the cluster. “I don’t see what any of you are finding so hilarious in a polite, chaste exchange of affections between two beings, especially during such a vast celebration.” His eyes twinkled thoughtfully as he continued, a serious air to his demeanor and matter-of-fact tone. “Perhaps you all need to reflect upon your immature actions and simply grow up.” Then, he sent a brief wink Gavin’s way.

The room fell painfully silent, the group of teasers looking to each other with wide eyes, tightly closed mouths, and varying degrees of a blush. Wordlessly, Gavin took his seat across from Nines, the two sharing a brief high-five before accessing their respective terminals. Gradually, the others trudged over to their desks, starting their assigned tasks to hopefully distract themselves from their recent humiliation. 

**GAVIN:** Wow, didn’t know you were such a savage 

**NINES:** It only serves them right, no? 

**GAVIN:** I wasn’t complaining 

Gavin looked up from his phone to swap a quick grin with Nines before returning his undivided attention to his terminal yet again. 

Revenge, sweet revenge. Isn’t it just great? 


End file.
